This simple oven roasted whole mackerel with Cilantro and garlic makes a phenomenal fish dinner. Flavored with Cilantro, garlic, coriander & lemon juice.
My family and I love fish, especially fresh whole fish. We love exploring different seafood markets and finding fish we haven't tried before. Mackerel is not often found. Finding Mackerel is always a great treat!
About Mackerel
Mackerel is similar in texture to Tuna and has a strong fish flavor. It's an oily fish with rich flavors and high in Omega-3. Buying whole fish is always a lot less expensive and tastes phenomenal. My family loves that there are not a lot of bones in it and the ones in it come out easily.
What's in This Oven Roasted Mackerel:
Simple recipe with fresh ingredients and dinner is ready in under 30-minutes.
- Fresh Cilantro: cilantro is one of my favorite herbs. I add cilantro from Indian to modern in all sorts of recipes. Go ahead and use your favorite herb if you and cilantro can't get along like we do!
- Garlic: garlic and fish tastes great together. I never say no to more fresh garlic with fish. Add a little more if your heart desires.
- Lemon: citrus and seafood go so well together. You got to try it if you haven't already!
- Coriander Powder: mild yet packed with beautiful flavors. Coriander powder is one of my favorite Indian spices. It is always available at any south Asian grocery store. Click here to purchase online.
Marinating & Baking:
Blend all the ingredients until smooth and apply the marinade inside the scoring, in the guts, and on the skin on both sides of the fish. You may let it rest in the refrigerator for an hour before oven roasting or roast it immediately.
What to Serve Mackerel with:
I like to make extra herb and spice blend to roast potatoes along with mackerel. I have some wonderful side dishes that would go well with mackerel.
Kitchen Tools You’ll Need:
- Parchment Paper or Aluminum Foil
- Baking Sheet
- Good Kitchen Knife
- Food Processor
Oven Roasted Mackerel with Cilantro and Garlic
Ingredients
- 1 whole Mackerel gutted, cleaned, and pat dried
- Half a bunch of cilantro about 1 cup packed
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil or just drizzle generously
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 lemon juiced
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- kosher salt or pink salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 F. Line a large baking sheet with a parchment paper or aluminum foil. Grease the aluminum foil with a drizzle of oil to prevent fish from sticking. No need to grease the parchment paper.
- Combine listed marinade ingredients in a blender or a food processor. Blend it until smooth (coarse is fine, you do you!)
- Score the clean and gutted fish through skin and flesh on both sides and pat dry it with paper towel.
- Place Mackerel on the greased baking sheet. Apply marinade inside the scoring, in the guts, and on the skin on both sides.
- Bake on top rack at 450 F for 20-25 minutes uncovered. Broil for a minute. Serve it hot with a generous drizzle of lemon juice and your favorite fish dinner side dish.
Notes
- Double the marinate amount for 2 to 3 whole mackerel. Approximate cooking time for 2 to 3 whole fish should stay the same.
- Let the marinated fish rest in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to an hour for better flavor results.
- Cooking time may vary depending on the size of the whole mackerel. Generally 12-15 Oz fish takes about 20-25 minutes at 450 F to fully cook through. Smaller fish can take less time. Mackerel fillets take 12-15 minutes at 450 F to fully cook through. Broiling the fish for that 1 minute gives such a beautiful chard flavor to the skin.
Nutrition
Hi there! I'm Safiya. I'm an author, food photographer, recipe developer and the creator behind Feast with Safiya. So glad you stopped by! I share Modern & Authentic Indian recipes that I usually cook for my family. I am a firm believer in cooking meals with lots of vegetables, little meat, and generous spices. My recipes are easy, tested and perfected.
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